Argyranthemum plant named ‘Bonmadpipa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Argyranthemum  plant named ‘Bonmadpipa’, characterized by its single type light pink-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact, and upright-mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Argyranthemum×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Bonmadpipa’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant botanically known as Argyranthemum×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Bonmadpipa’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia during July 2004. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Argyranthemum cultivars that are freely flowering with unique flower coloration and a freely branching, compact, and upright growth habit.

The new Argyranthemum cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding selection designated 04- 64 , not patented, characterized by its single type white-colored flowers with pink color on underside of petals, medium green-colored foliage, and mounded and compact growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding selection designated 04- 78 , not patented, characterized by its single type white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and mounded and compact growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during April 2005 in a controlled environment at Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since April 2005 at Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Bonmadpipa’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant:

-   -   1. Single type, light pink-colored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact, and upright-mounded growth         habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in flower color and from plants of the male parent primarily in flower color.

Of the many commercially available Argyranthemum cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Comet Pink ‘Cobsing’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,541. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Cobsing’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of         ‘Cobsing’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have lighter colored ray florets         than plants of ‘Cobsing’.

In addition, plants of the new cultivar can be compared to the commercial cultivar Madeira™ Deep Pink ‘Bonmadepi’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,565. Plants of the new cultivar have lighter colored ray florets than plants of ‘Bonmadepi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Bonmadpipa’. The plants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 11 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Bonmadpipa’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Bonmadpipa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on Apr. 18, 2007 between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch pots for 11 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Argyranthemum×hybrida cultivar Bonmadpipa. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding             selection designated 04- 64 , not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Argyranthemum—hybrida breeding             selection designated 04- 78 , not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 8 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 9 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact, and upright-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 17.8 cm. Width: Approximately 16.4 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Quantity of lateral             branches per plant: Approximately 5.         -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length of main stem to base of             peduncle: Approximately 10.7 cm. Diameter at central             internode: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of central             internode: Approximately 3.6 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of             young stem: Glaucous, 144B. Color of mature stem: Glaucous,             144B with woody base of N199B. -   Foliage Description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main stem:             Approximately 19. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Alternate.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem; leaf blade transitions             to an obtuse angle to stem with age. Shape: Obovate. Margin:             Parted. Apex: Acute, cuspidate. Base: Attenuate, decurrent.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 6.7 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             4.4 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color             of upper surface of young foliage: Glaucous, 137B with             venation of 137B. Color of lower surface of young and mature             foliage: 137C with venation of 137C. Color of upper surface             of mature foliage: Glaucous, 137A with venation of 137A. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Bonmadpipa’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 10 to 11 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Single, solitary, composite.             Persistent. Shape: Round. Aspect: Facing upward and outward.             Arrangement: Terminal, positioned above the foliage. Disc             and ray florets develop acropetally on a capitulum. Quantity             per plant: Approximately 6. Diameter: Approximately 3.6 cm.             Fragrance: None.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, pliable. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 6.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: Glaucous, 144A.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 6 to 7 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 2.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovoid. Diameter:             Approximately 7.0 mm. Color: 155D.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 19.             Arrangement: Nonimbricate in a single whorl. Aspect:             Slightly convex, turning downward with age. Shape: Ligulate.             Margin: Entire. Apex: Emarginate with 3 tips, some rounded.             Base: Attenuate, fused to form a tube. Length: Approximately             1.6 cm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper             surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous,             ribbed. Color of upper surface when first open: 155D with a             very faint overlay of N74D. Color of lower surface when             first and fully open: 155D with a faint overlay of N74D.             Color of upper surface when fully open: 155D with a light             overlay of N74C that fades to 75C with age.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately             Greater than 100. Arrangement: Massed in center of             inflorescence. Shape: Tubular with 5 lobes. Margin: Entire.             Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm.             Diameter at apex: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at base:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely glandular pubescent.             Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color when fully open:             14B, transparent transitioning to base of 144D.         -   Disc.—Diameter: Approximately 1.2 cm. Depth: Approximately             8.0 mm.         -   Receptacle.—Shape: Cone. Height: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Diameter at base: Approximately 3.0 mm. Color: 145B.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence Approximately 26.             Arrangement: Imbricate, in several whorls. Shape:             Lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, papery along             edges. Color of upper surface: 143A in center with margins             of transparent N199B. Color of lower surface: Closest to             143B in center with margins of transparent N199B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Stamen quantity: 5 per floret. Stamen length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther shape: Linear. Anther length:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 14B. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: 14C. Gynoecium: Present on ray and             disc florets. Pistil quantity: 1 per floret. Pistil length:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma             length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color: 14B. Style length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Style color: 154D, transparent. Ovary             length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: Colorless,             transparent. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Argyranthemum has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘Bonmadpipa’, substantially as herein shown and described. 